


The Horizon of an Ending World

by rubylily



Category: Gakkou Gurashi! | School Live!
Genre: Angst, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Illnesses, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 20:46:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9514238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/pseuds/rubylily
Summary: While on the road, Yuuri falls ill and Kurumi cares for her.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lady_Katana4544](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Katana4544/gifts).



Kurumi hadn't kept track of how many days had passed since they left the school. Each day was nearly the same: sometimes she drove, sometimes Yuuri drove, and sometimes they taught Miki and Yuki. They stopped to rest often, also gathering as much food and water as possible, and they were certain to stop at each and every gas station they passed, as even a drop of gasoline was better than nothing. Her shovel also saw more use these days, and she and the others had even gotten more shovels and knives, to be used only as a last resort.

She tried not to think about what would happen if they ran out of gas.

They stopped to rest at a gated house after Kurumi confirmed there was nothing lurking about. The fence was more fortified than usual, as if to repel _them_ , so why was the house empty? the group had wondered. But the answer was clear - there wasn't even a scrap of food left, nor any running water or stored electricity. Even with the river nearly, those who had lived here probably had no choice but to risk heading outside for supplies. At least Kurumi and the others could spend a night or two here, sleeping in actual beds instead of the cramped car.

Kurumi cracked her shoulders as she stepped onto the balcony, which overlooked the Kuchina River, and across the still waters were the silhouettes of ruined buildings. In the blink of an eye, the world had begun to fall apart.

She touched her bandaged arm, and a dull pain throbbed. Had all of Japan fallen? What about other countries? Someone had the foresight to create an experimental medicine, so could the world still be saved? But why had such a biological weapon been created?

Kurumi leaned against the railing. What did any of that matter? She didn't even know what they would eat tomorrow, or where they would sleep. They just had to keep following the river to St. Isidore University, and maybe they would find answers.

"Kurumi?" came Yuuri's voice as she stepped onto the balcony. Her hair was frazzled and she had dark circles under her bloodshot eyes, but none of them had slept well these past days. "Did you find anything?"

"Hey, Rii-san," Kurumi said as she tried to smile; that was so hard to do these days. "This place is really tapped out, huh?"

Yuuri came beside Kurumi and touched the railing, and her fingers tensed. "I'm not surprised, but I was hoping to find another first-aid kit at least…"

"Guess whoever lived here took all that stuff when they left." Kurumi let out a heavy sigh. "And with how dusty everything is, it's probably safe to assume they never came back."

With a shaking hand, Yuuri reached out and touched Kurumi's bandaged arm. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine, really," Kurumi said as her cheeks grew warm.

"You're still so cold." Yuuri's voice grew familiarly firm. "So you shouldn't be standing out here without your jacket!"

Kurumi, could almost laugh. "Sorry, sorry," she muttered.

Yuuri cupped Kurumi's face, and her hands were strangely warm. "Kurumi, I…" she tried to say as she drew closer, but she stumbled and fell against Kurumi.

"Rii-san?" Kurumi exclaimed as she caught Yuuri by her shoulders. Her skin was pale and her breathing swallow, and even to Kurumi's cold hands it was clear she was burning up, as if she had a fever.

Kurumi called for Miki and Yuki, and they helped her carry Yuuri to the largest bedroom. As they laid Yuuri on the bed, Yuki touched her forehead. "How are you feeling, Rii-san?" she asked with a warm smile.

"I just need to rest, that's all," Yuuri said as she reached out to touch Yuki's face. "We'll be on the road again tomorrow."

"No, we need to wait until you're better!" Yuki said. "And we'll do whatever we can for you!"

Miki touched Yuki's shoulder. "Senpai, let's finish the noodles. That might help Rii-san's fever."

"Of course!" Yuki nodded cheerfully. "That's what Rii-san always says!"

Once Yuki and Miki left the bedroom, Kurumi let out the breath she had been holding in. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?" she asked.

"Because this is the first place we've found we've been able to relax," Yuuri replied, and still she didn't meet Kurumi's gaze.

Kurumi ran her fingers through her hair. "Of all the times to get sick…"

"Did you expect Yuki-chan?" Yuuri let out a humorless chuckle. "But none of us have slept well lately…"

"I know," Kurumi said as she stood. "I'll search our supplies for medicine."

"Wait!" Yuuri lunged forward, nearly falling out of the bed, to seize Kurumi's hand. "Stay with me, please…"

Kurumi's heart skipped a beat, and she knelt at Yuuri's bedside. "All right," she said, holding Yuuri's hand tightly. "I can ask Miki or Yuki to get the medicine instead.

"Kurumi, please…" Yuuri's voice was barely a whisper.

"What is it?" Kurumi asked, and her heart pounded painfully against her ribs.

"No, it's nothing," Yuuri said, shaking her head. "Thank you." She shut her eyes, and her fingers around Kurumi's trembled.

Silence fell over them as Kurumi brought Yuuri's hand closer to her lips. There was nothing to be afraid of, Kurumi told herself. Yuuri only had a normal fever, the kind everyone was vulnerable to. She wasn't infected. All the entrances were barricaded, and so was the front gate so the car could also be safe. This wasn't much different from living inside the school.

But the school had eventually fallen, even after giving them so much.

What if they found nothing at the university? What if it had fallen too? The emergency evacuation manual had also listed the Randall Corporation's main headquarters, and also a hospital and an air base and garrison, but what if they had fallen too? What if she and the others really were the only survivors?

If the world was ending, what else could they do but continue to drive toward the horizon?

Yuuri moaned, and Kurumi clutched her hand tightly. Her cheeks were flushed and sweat covered her skin, and her breathing grew rough. "Kurumi…" she said weakly.

"It's all right, I'm here now," Kurumi said. She took out a handkerchief to dry the sweat from Yuuri's skin. She tried to be careful, but her hand shook violently, and she hoped Yuuri didn't notice, as Yuuri's normally calm eyes appeared unfocused.

Miki and Yuki returned quickly with medicine and a glass of water. Yuuri took two pills without comment as Kurumi held the glass of water to her lips as she swallowed, and she was barely able to eat any of the instant ramen they had made for dinner. In fact, none of them had an appetite, but they ate anyway, not wanting to waste any of the precious food. Eventually the sun set, and Yuuri drifted to sleep.

"Please feel better soon, Rii-san," Yuki said softly.

Kurumi offered to watch over Yuuri, and Miki and Yuki left to share the other bedroom. They had initially planned to all sleep in the same room for comfort and safety, but with Yuuri ill, it was decided it would be better for two of them to take the second bedroom instead.

"Rii-san," Kurumi breathed as she cradled Yuuri's hand between hers. Yuuri still stirred and moaned, but there was nothing more Kurumi could do for her.

As an oppressive coldness came over her, Kurumi laid her head on the bed to rest her eyes, just for moment, but instead an uneasy sleep took her.

* * *

Heat consumed Yuuri as she wandered the darkness. What was she looking for? She couldn't remember.

She had lost something important. They all had. No matter how tightly she held, anything that was precious kept slipping from her fingers. Before her lay only a dying world, and beyond the horizon was simply nothing.

She was so very tired.

But she kept walking, even though the stench of blood and rotting flesh surrounded her. A figure waited for her in the far distance, something precious she wanted to protect. She broke into a run, away from the dying world.

But even a dying world could be theirs if they still lived.

Kurumi turned to face Yuuri, and her skin was rotted and peeling and covered in blood. She screamed, her rotted teeth caked in dry blood, and as she reached for Yuuri with her cold, dead hands, a dark, smoky aura overtook them both.

On the other side of this ending world, only silence waited.

* * *

Yuuri's fever was still high when dawn broke.

Kurumi remained by Yuuri's beside, and Miki and Yuki said they could stay in this house for another day or two. They had enough food and water for now, and moving the sick Yuuri would only hinder her recovery.

While Yuki and Miki searched the house yet again for anything useful at all, Kurumi stayed with Yuuri, who slipped in and out of consciousness, as if delirious. Kurumi held Yuuri's hand tightly, and tried not to imagine the worst.

They had already seen the worst, when Kurumi had been bitten and they had lost the school. They had survived yet again to live for an uncertain future.

They had changed, of course. Yuki was more somber, and Yuuri kept looking behind herself, as if wanting to see the school they had left behind. They couldn't pretend anymore, Kurumi knew. Her eyes fell upon the worn shovel beside her; after all, they had been torn from their normal lives ever since that day they survived.

"Kurumi, are you there?" Yuuri muttered weakly.

"Did I wake you?" Kurumi said, trying to smile.

Yuuri touched Kurumi's face with her free hand, and it was sweaty and clammy. "You're really here, right…?"

"Of course!" Kurumi pressed her hand against Yuuri's. "We all are!"

"We're all alive…" A broken smile came upon Yuuri's lips. "The School Living Club…"

Kurumi let out a faint laugh. "Well, not so much 'school' anymore."

Yuuri let her hand fall. "I miss the school."

"I do too," Kurumi mumbled, chewing her lip. She touched her arm, feeling the bandages under her jacket sleeve. What more could she say? Uncertainty - that was all they could be certain of. She hated it. Their destination was uncertain, the roads were uncertain, Yuuri's health was uncertain. What else was certain besides the walking dead consuming this world?  
She grit her teeth. Even now she wanted to scream as the darkness consumed her. She couldn't even do anything for Yuuri, who had already done so much for her. "Rii-san," she said firmly. "Please don't worry. I'm here for you."

Yuuri's eyes went wide, and she tried to sit up, but she fell into a coughing fit instead. Kurumi reached for Yuuri's shoulders to steady her, but much to her surprise Yuuri threw her arms around her, and tears fell from her bloodshot eyes.

"Can't we stay here?" Yuuri sobbed. "The world is dead, so what's the point? I just want to be with you…"

"I want to know the truth," Kurumi said, wrapping her arms around Yuuri's trembling back. "About this outbreak, about the medicine, and… if there's anything we can do."

"Do you want to save the world?" Yuuri asked, her voice small.

Kurumi inhaled a deep breath. "I want to save you, Yuki, and Miki - all of you."

Yuuri cried against Kurumi's chest. "I'm scared… We've lost so much… I don't want to lose you too…"

"You've already saved my life," Kurumi said, and the wound on her arm prickled.

Yuuri lifted her head and cupped Kurumi's face. "Kurumi, promise me we'll always be together."

Kurumi's breath caught in her throat as her eyes fell upon Yuuri's lips, and almost without thinking she kissed Yuuri, quickly and gently.

Yuuri's pale cheeks became a deep shade of crimson. "K-Kurumi! I might be contagious!"

"Rii-san, please," Kurumi begged, and her pounding heartbeat filled her eyes. "You're strong and dependable. I need you. When… when we're finally safe, let's be completely honest, all right?"

Yuuri rested her head against Kurumi's shoulder. "Thank you, Kurumi," she said.

"I'll protect you, I swear," Kurumi said as she brushed her lips against Yuuri's hair.

Eventually Yuuri fell asleep again, and color returned to her cheeks as her fever diminished. Kurumi's heartbeat calmed and she kissed the back of Yuuri's hand, and unlike hers, Yuuri's hands were pleasantly warm.

* * *

By dawn, Yuuri's fever had passed, so the girls were securing all the supplies in the car and making sure they left nothing behind. As Yuki and Miki waited in the car, Kurumi and Yuuri gave the house one last search, but before they left the house to rejoin Yuki and Miki, Yuuri threw her arms around Kurumi's shoulders, and her embrace was surprisingly tight.

"Rii-san?" Kurumi exclaimed.

"You promised," Yuuri said, her arms trembling. "When we're safe, we can be completely honest about our feelings."

Kurumi took Yuuri's hands into hers. "I know, and I won't break that promise."

Yuuri smiled, the first genuine smile Kurumi had seen on her in a long time, and she pressed her lips against Kurumi's for another kiss.

When they broke the kiss, Yuuri released Kurumi. "We shouldn't keep Yuki-chan and Miki-san waiting," she said.

Kurumi nodded, and she took Yuuri's warm hand into hers as they headed out to join Miki and Yuki in the car.


End file.
